Written Answers Monday 7 March 2011

Scottish Executive

Elections

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners have applied to vote in the Scottish Parliament elections in May 2011, broken down by prison, in light of the possible impact on the Scottish Prison Service.

Jim Mather: Electoral Registration Officers are responsible for maintaining the electoral register and dealing with applications from individuals to register to vote. The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested.

  Convicted prisoners cannot currently register to vote in elections. The franchise is the responsibility of the UK Government. UK Ministers have said that any change to the franchise will not apply to this year’s Scottish Parliament elections.

Elections

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government on the issue of prisoners’ rights to vote since the European Court of Human Rights ruling, in light of the possible impact on Scottish prisons.

Jim Mather: In April 2009 the previous (Labour) UK Government issued its second consultation paper in response to the European Court’s ruling in the Hirst case. In the context of the then government’s conclusion in the light of the Court’s ruling "that prisoners’ right to vote should be determined on the basis of their sentence" the Scottish Government’s response to the UK Government made it clear that the burden on those affected (the Scottish Prison Service, the Court Service and electoral administrators) should be kept to a minimum.

  The Scottish Government has since made its general position (that we do not believe that convicted prisoners should be entitled to vote) known in numerous exchanges in the Scottish Parliament.

Health

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been diagnosed with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria since 1999.

Nicola Sturgeon: The specific information requested is not available centrally. The number of patients with a diagnosis of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria who have been treated in acute general hospitals in Scotland since 1999 is shown in the following table.

  NHS Scotland: Total Number of Patients with a Diagnosis of Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria and Treated in Hospital Since 1999

  

Year of Discharge
Number of Patients


1999
5


2000
9


2001
8


2002
4


2003
7


2004
7


2005
7


2006
8


2007
10


2008
15


2009
16

Health

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to reduce the time between onset of symptoms and a definitive diagnosis for endometriosis.

Nicola Sturgeon: Providing safe, effective, timely and person centred care is at the heart of the Government’s Quality Strategy.

  The clinical guidelines published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 2006 deal with the investigation and management of endometriosis, and should help with timely diagnosis. Implementation of these guidelines is a matter for NHS boards, and we expect all bodies within boards that have responsibility for clinical governance to have regard to such clinical guidelines.

Health

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding has been offered to NHS boards for the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis.

Nicola Sturgeon: It is the responsibility of NHS boards to provide the healthcare services required to meet the needs of their local populations, using the funding allocated to them by the Government.

Health

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to support employees who are diagnosed with endometriosis.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government’s Healthy Working Lives strategy promotes the benefits of policies and practices in the workplace that support staff to be fitter and healthier.

  The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives is working with employers to promote and improve the health and wellbeing of employees, and to support those living with long term health conditions such as endometriosis. The centre provides a network of advisers, who offer information, access to tools and workplace visits to help implement the healthy working lives approach.

  In 2009, the Healthy Working Lives strategy underwent a review to refresh it in the light of the latest evidence and practices in working age health and wellbeing. The result is Health Works, an update that identifies a programme of action to ensure that the working age strategy remains relevant to the needs of the modern workplace. It encourages healthcare staff to take account of people’s employment aims.

Health

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to raise public awareness of the symptoms and long-term effects of endometriosis.

Nicola Sturgeon: We are committed to improving the quality and accessibility of information that is available to people and their carers throughout their care journey, both to raise awareness of individual conditions such as endometriosis, and to support their effective diagnosis and management.

  NHS Inform is our nationally co-ordinated approach to the provision of health and health service information. It is intended as a first point of contact for trusted quality assured health information for the public, patients and carers in Scotland.

  NHS Inform provides information on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis, which can be accessed by calling 0800, 22 44 88 or:

  http://www.nhsinform.co.uk/health-library/articles/e/endometriosis/introduction.aspx.

Health

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to raise awareness among GPs of the symptoms of endometriosis in order to reduce waiting times for diagnosis.

Nicola Sturgeon: Gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis, are covered in the trainee GP curriculum and are assessed as part of the GP e-portfolio, a training resource overseen by the Royal Collage of General Practitioners (RCGP).

  Existing GPs are contractually committed to an annual educational appraisal and to developing their own learning needs. If a GP has recognised endometriosis as a learning need, this should form part of their Personal Education Plan.

  We are committed to shorter waiting times in GP practices and hospitals as they can lead to earlier diagnosis and better health outcomes for patients. NHS boards are working to deliver the challenging target that by the end of this year no patient should wait more than 18 weeks between GP referral and treatment.

Health

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to establish a coordinated central strategy to deal with endometriosis.

Nicola Sturgeon: Our Long Term Conditions Action Plan (June 2009) sets out our aim that throughout Scotland, those living with long term conditions such as endometriosis, and those who support them, feel valued, confident and able to enjoy full and positive lives.

Justice

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals were convicted of carrying a knife or other offensive weapon in 2009-10, broken down by (a) manner of disposal and (b) local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: Latest statistics show a downward trajectory across the country in the fight against knives with homicide rates down to their lowest level in 31 years, the number of homicides using a sharp instrument down 39% between 2008-09 and 2009-10, the number of people caught carrying a knife down to its lowest level in a decade and sentence lengths for such crimes at their longest in a decade, but there will be no let up in our efforts as every knife incident is one too many.

  The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Handling Offensive Weapons1 by Approximate Local Authority Area2, 2009-10

  

Local Authority/Crime
Custody
Community Sentence
Monetary
Other
Total


Aberdeen City
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
9
10
21
6
46


Possession of an offensive weapon
9
22
20
9
60


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
18
32
41
15
106


Aberdeenshire
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
5
5
6
0
16


Possession of an offensive weapon
2
0
8
1
11


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
7
5
14
1
27


Angus
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
6
7
2
3
18


Possession of an offensive weapon
1
9
3
1
14


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
7
16
5
4
32


Argyll and Bute
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
4
8
2
0
14


Possession of an offensive weapon
4
5
5
0
14


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
8
13
7
0
28


Clackmannanshire
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
10
10
4
1
25


Possession of an offensive weapon
0
8
8
2
18


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
10
18
12
3
43


Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
7
10
0
3
20


Possession of an offensive weapon
3
7
8
2
20


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
10
17
8
5
40


Dundee City
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
27
15
13
4
59


Possession of an offensive weapon
6
13
4
6
29


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
33
28
17
10
88


East Ayrshire
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
45
25
5
3
78


Possession of an offensive weapon
20
18
33
9
80


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
1
0
1


Total
65
43
39
12
159


East Lothian
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
4
3
4
1
12


Possession of an offensive weapon
4
4
10
3
21


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
8
7
14
4
33


Edinburgh, City of
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
31
35
29
12
107


Possession of an offensive weapon
12
16
48
16
92


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
43
51
77
28
199


Eilean Siar
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
0
0
0
0
0


Possession of an offensive weapon
0
1
0
0
1


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
0
1
0
0
1


Falkirk
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
20
10
3
3
36


Possession of an offensive weapon
3
6
12
6
27


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
23
16
15
9
63


Fife
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
21
32
9
4
66


Possession of an offensive weapon
13
15
22
4
54


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
34
47
31
8
120


Glasgow City
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
199
160
62
51
472


Possession of an offensive weapon
131
147
145
86
509


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
330
307
207
137
981


Highland
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
12
8
6
2
28


Possession of an offensive weapon
5
11
7
0
23


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
17
19
13
2
51


Inverclyde
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
21
21
3
2
47


Possession of an offensive weapon
15
9
10
6
40


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
36
30
13
8
87


Moray
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
0
2
4
1
7


Possession of an offensive weapon
1
2
9
3
15


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
1
4
13
4
22


North Lanarkshire
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
13
16
6
3
38


Possession of an offensive weapon
5
25
12
7
49


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
1
0
1


Total
18
41
19
10
88


Orkney Islands
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
0
0
1
2
3


Possession of an offensive weapon
0
2
0
0
2


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
0
2
1
2
5


Perth and Kinross
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
12
4
5
2
23


Possession of an offensive weapon
5
2
5
0
12


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
17
6
10
2
35


Renfrewshire
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
35
27
10
8
80


Possession of an offensive weapon
11
18
10
13
52


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
46
45
20
21
132


Scottish Borders
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
8
2
2
3
15


Possession of an offensive weapon
4
6
7
6
23


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
12
8
9
9
38


Shetland Islands
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
0
1
1
0
2


Possession of an offensive weapon
1
1
0
0
2


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
1
2
1
0
4


South Ayrshire
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
28
10
4
0
42


Possession of an offensive weapon
11
14
5
1
31


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
39
24
9
1
73


South Lanarkshire
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
31
48
10
7
96


Possession of an offensive weapon
36
65
21
14
136


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
67
113
31
21
232


Stirling
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
11
4
2
1
18


Possession of an offensive weapon
0
6
1
1
8


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
11
10
3
2
26


West Dunbartonshire
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
36
22
3
2
63


Possession of an offensive weapon
5
14
9
5
33


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
41
36
12
7
96


West Lothian
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
4
12
5
2
23


Possession of an offensive weapon
6
7
6
0
19


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
0
0
0


Total
10
19
11
2
42


Scotland3
 
 
 
 
 


Having in a public place an article with a blade or point
601
507
222
126
1,456


Possession of an offensive weapon
315
453
428
201
1,397


Restriction of offensive weapons
0
0
2
0
2


Total
916
960
652
327
2,855



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Incorporates an approximate mapping of sheriff courts into local authority areas. Some sheriff courts will deal with cases from more than one local authority area. Some local authority areas, including East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Midlothian and North Ayrshire, do not contain a sheriff court.

  3. Contains a small number of cases where local authority is unknown.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders breached the terms of their community service order in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10, broken down by local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: Information is not collected on the number of proven breaches or the number of offenders involved.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will provide health services in the Scottish Prison Service and where the funding will come from.

Nicola Sturgeon: Health boards already provide specialist services to prisoners. Responsibility for providing primary healthcare to prisoner’s healthcare will transfer from the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to the health boards. The planned date for the transfer is the end of October 2011.

  Funding for the provision of primary healthcare services will be transferred from SPS to the health boards.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether territorial health boards will be responsible for the funding of the minor ailments scheme.

Shona Robison: No changes to the current arrangements are proposed. Remuneration to community pharmacies for providing the Minor Ailment Service (MAS) will continue to be funded by the Community Pharmacy Global Sum. Reimbursement for products dispensed under MAS will continue to be met by territorial health boards’ drugs budgets.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of the minor ailments scheme has been in each year since its inception, also broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: Total remuneration and reimbursement costs relating to the Minor Ailment Service (MAS) are provided in the following table:

  Total Cost for Minor Ailment Service, by Health Board and Financial Year (£)

  

Dispensing NHS Board
2006-071
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-112


Scotland
7,803,211
11,304,601
14,557,024
16,225,626
8,541,116


Ayrshire and Arran
1,105,838
1,161,182
1,326,473
1,418,767
739,608


Borders
152,276
242,843
315,539
364,819
190,977


Dumfries and Galloway
177,340
292,021
399,526
447,702
231,920


Fife
448,516
748,425
955,404
1,052,149
549,701


Forth Valley
342,490
592,706
827,669
922,780
472,771


Grampian
564,372
906,767
1,266,435
1,405,013
730,917


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
2,154,662
2,977,423
3,818,020
4,334,572
2,301,435


Highland
332,560
550,882
753,525
879,870
459,598


Lanarkshire
728,682
1,260,609
1,618,629
1,810,831
975,549


Lothian
952,904
1,565,825
2,084,246
2,350,818
1,260,164


Orkney
11,352
19,035
28,993
43,119
24,040


Shetland
13,354
22,861
29,143
35,211
19,806


Tayside
806,883
946,741
1,109,467
1,133,115
571,401


Western Isles
11,984
17,281
23,957
26,861
13,229



  Notes:

  1. Minor Ailment Service launched nationwide in July 2006 following pilot schemes in NHS Ayrshire and Arran and NHS Tayside.

  2. Financial Year 2010-11 data is to September 2010 only.

  3. Total costs comprise the paid Gross Ingredient Cost (GIC) and Capitation Payments including adjustments.

  4. Further information on the Minor Ailment Service can be found at the following address:

  www.isdscotland.org/isd/5033.html.

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have accessed the minor ailments scheme in each year since its inception, also broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The number of people who access the Minor Ailment Service (MAS) is not available centrally, however, the number of registrations can be found in the following table.

  Total Number of Minor Ailment Service Patients Registered by Health Board in March 2007 to 2010

  

Dispensing NHS Board
March 20071
March 2008
March 2009
March 2010


Scotland
726,058
586,336
657,418
722,209


Ayrshire and Arran
88,806
58,246
62,818
69,742


Borders
17,315
11,564
15,672
16,221


Dumfries and Galloway
16,649
14,110
20,443
21,462


Fife
52,393
42,065
45,101
49,754


Forth Valley
32,678
33,403
36,910
38,427


Grampian
47,501
39,771
46,745
48,854


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
187,602
161,717
182,759
205,569


Highland
30,363
24,796
27,038
34,661


Lanarkshire
82,440
78,048
78,340
87,577


Lothian
99,950
73,386
95,681
102,311


Orkney
868
892
1,863
2,014


Shetland
964
932
827
1,348


Tayside
67,709
46,964
42,831
43,812


Western Isles
820
442
390
457



  Notes:

  1. Minor Ailment Service launched nationwide in July 2006 following pilot schemes in NHS Ayrshire and Arran and NHS Tayside.

  2. Due to registration figures increasing and decreasing across months it is not possible to give an annual figure. Data given is for the month of March for 2007-10.

  3. A patient being registered with a community pharmacy does not mean that they will use the service or measure how often.

  Further information on the Minor Ailment Service can be found at the following address: www.isdscotland.org/isd/5033.html.

Scottish Government Funding

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the Audit Scotland report that notes a £400 million reduction in social care spending from 2007-08 to 2009-10.

Shona Robison: The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing wrote to you on 10 February 2011 pointing out that rather than a £400 million reduction in social care spending over this period there was in fact a £400 million increase.

Taxation

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on preparations to enable the Parliament to invoke the power to use the Scottish variable rate.

John Swinney: In considering this important issue, I have sought and received information from David Gauke MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury and Minister responsible for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), about likely costs and timescales associated with updating HMRC’s systems to enable them to support a decision to exercise the Parliament’s power to vary the Scottish variable rate (SVR). Mr Gauke has advised that HMRC is not able to prepare the systems required to enable powers to vary the SVR to be exercised with effect from 2012-13, but that it would be possible to prepare systems for use from 2013-14 if initial work is commenced now. The preliminary estimate of the cost of preparing SVR systems is £7 million. A copy of the letter providing this information was sent to the Finance Committee and to leaders of each of the opposition parties.

  I have also sought and considered carefully the views of parliamentary party leaders on these issues, in the light of information provided by Mr Gauke. I have in addition considered the report of the Finance Committee on the SVR, published on 25 February. The Finance Committee in its report asked that I update Parliament on SVR issues, and I am pleased to have this opportunity to do so.

  As indicated, the Exchequer Secretary has advised that preparatory work needs to start right away to ensure that systems are ready for use with effect from 2013-14. The first step is to undertake a Viability Study, expected to cost around £135,000. This needs to begin no later than April, and a report would be expected within 2 months. The key outcomes would be greater certainty about the costs and timescales associated with making the necessary systems changes, and a programme for doing so. Mr Gauke has confirmed that if a decision on whether to commission the Viability Study was held over until after the Scottish elections on 5 May, HMRC would be unable to provide certainty that the systems could be ready for use with effect from 2013-14.

  In the light of this information, and after consulting other party leaders, I have asked HMRC to undertake a Viability Study. I have accepted that the costs of this study will fall on the Scottish Government. The study report will enable the Scottish Administration returned after the election to reach a decision, in the light of better estimates of costs, on whether to commission HMRC to undertake the substantive work required to prepare SVR systems for use. It would be consistent with the report of the Finance Committee for the administration then in power to consult the Parliament before reaching a decision on whether to commission this further work.

  The position of this administration is clear. We do not intend to ask the Parliament to agree that the Scottish Government should exercise the power to vary the SVR, nor do we intend to exercise it. We do not agree that any costs incurred in returning HMRC’s systems to a condition that would support exercise of the power to use the SVR should fall on the Scottish Government. And we note that the UK Government intends in the Scotland Bill to scrap the SVR power with effect from 2015-16, replacing it with a Scottish Rate of Income Tax. We have made clear that we regard these proposals as flawed, not least because the UK Government expects the costs of making the required changes to HMRC systems – estimated at £45 million – to fall on Scotland.

  Finally, we note that when this administration was elected by the people of Scotland in 2007, HMRC’s SVR systems were not in a state of readiness. They would have required substantial investment to restore them to such a state, and this work would not have been able to deliver reliable operation of the systems until 2009-10. This administration therefore inherited the same position in May 2007, as the next Scottish Administration will take on after May 2011.

  I have arranged for a copy of my letter to the Finance Committee in response to their report on the SVR to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52549).